Driving in downtown Kitchener is about to get a lot more complicated.
Victoria Street North, between Duke Street and Charles Street, will close on June 1st.
Construction crews will be relocating and upgrading water, storm and sanitary services.
Once that’s complete, LRT work can begin.
Crews will be installing the poles, the track and the system that powers the ION trains.
Residents say they’re frustrated with construction closures.
“I used to be able to go to work in five minutes,” says Fred Koehlmann. “If I were to do the same route now it would take me at least twice as long.”
Some business owners are worried about how the Victoria Street closure will affect foot traffic.
“If they close everything for three months and I don’t have any business we’re going to have to see what to do,” says Miljavic Joe, the owner of Pizzeria Papa Joe. “”King is closed. Everything else is closed. It’s hard for people. They have to make an effort to come [here].”
Joe says he faced a similar struggle when Victoria Street was closed between Duke Street and Weber Street.
“With Weber Street, we had a hard time. We survived. Now that Duke is closed, we have a hard time. Hopefully we’re going to survive this one too.”
The Region of Waterloo suggests drivers use Joseph Street, Water Street and Weber Street as a detour.
Victoria Street is expected to reopen on September 30th.
